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Fun Bringer: Rick Wheeler...

Wednesday, 08 March 2017 23:10

We all know people who "bring the fun" wherever they go. Minnesota's tri and du scene certainly has more than its share of fun bringers, folks that elevate the experiece for those around them, whether in training, or at races.

Several fun bringing race directors come to mind:  Uncle Randy, Doobie K, Mark Bongers, Dave Schutz, Rod Raymond and his evil twin, Matt Evans. These guys are HOOTS! As a community, we're lucky to have them working for us.

And they're not the only ones, of course.

There are lots of athletes that bring it, funishly speaking, to the events they enter. Do you know Rick Wheeler? He lives in Bloomington, works in Hastings, where he is a high school counselor, and has a wife--Lisa--who is a much better triathlete than he is, but he doesn't care. Life is just too dang good to let "small stuff" get in the way....

And for Rick, it's ALL small stuff.

Rick is bald and looks good that way. His smile is large and permanent. He is chronically happy and his genuine joy is infectious. He magnetism attracts animals (top photo) as well as people.

Sure, he sometimes acts like a guy who hasn't taken his medication, but if you were as happy and charmingly goofy as he, you would eschew your pharmaceuticals, too.

There are certain folks that you need to party with. Rick is one of those people. The next time you see him at a race, say hello. If you do, you'll have a new friend whether you want one or not. And your spirits will brighten, even if they were high in the first place.

This is because Rick Wheeler is a fun loving, fun-bringer.

This is the first of several posts about Minnesota's multisport fun-bringers.